Even this scribe, an avowed black metal fanatic, will acknowledge that moving past its initial black metal raison d'être has paid dividends for New Orleans' GOATWHORE, the band far more potent as an extreme thrash band, all the while maintaining existential links to the black metal days of yore through the very obvious (and very appreciated) nods to VENOM and CELTIC FROST. Ben Falgoust (SOILENT GREEN) and Sammy Duet (ACID BATH) have locked into a highly effective song-writing process since 2006's A Haunting Curse, Goatwhore writing what was '06's hymn of the year, the intesity in ten cities 'Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult', and then following it up with an entire record of that kind of infero in '09's career-defining Carving Out The Eyes Of God. 2012 sees Goatwhore ambitiously looking to complete its triumvirate of achievement, and Blood For The Master delivers mightily, the record yet another indication that Goatwhore albums are the the kind of flames of wrath and plagues of pestilence that will not disappoint, despite the mediocre nature of the group's initial years, now a very long time ago indeed. All the more impressive is the frightening, Detroit Red Wings-esque consistency of this group since that '06(66) rebirth, Goatwhore not relenting and instead securing a legacy for itself and its unique, hammer-down-the-nails sound. Record highlight is the rabid speed n' spikes of 'An End To Nothing', though 'My Name Is Frightful Among The Believers', 'When Steel And Bone Meet', 'Death To The Architects Of Heaven' and 'Collapse In Eternal Worth' (the most black metal of these tracks) are hails and horns to metal's most beloved and celebrated qualities (which, if you're wondering, are too numerous to mention here), Goatwhore writing with the unbreakable purpose of, and utmost pride in, metal for life.The only thing missing is an absolutely righteous song title like '09's 'In Legions, I Am Wars Of Wrath' or '06's 'My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos' but, hey, what do we care about that sort of thing when Blood For The Master is this holistically effective and component-part affecting?